Women's Football Hub

Hypothalamic Amenorrhea in Female Football: What Every Athlete and Coach Needs to Know

In this episode of Women’s Football Hub, host Carolyn Kent speaks with Greta Jarvis, nutrition and public health expert and founder of the Center for Active Women. Together they unpack Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA) a missing or irregular menstrual cycle caused by factors such as low energy availability, psychological stress, and high training loads.

Greta explains why HA is a diagnosis of exclusion, why it’s common in team sports, and why so many athletes never realise the risks until injuries or underperformance appear. The conversation covers bone health, stress fractures, RED-S, cultural taboos, and the importance of menstrual cycle tracking and creating safe environments for athletes to speak up.

We also discuss recovery timelines, treatment principles, and what coaches and clinicians can do to support players holistically and safely.

A must-listen episode for physiotherapists, coaches, medical teams, athletes, and anyone wanting deeper insight into female athlete health.

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#HypothalamicAmenorrhea #FemaleAthleteTriad #REDs #LowEnergyAvailability #WomensSports #WomensHealth #FootballMedicine #SportsScience #AthleteWellbeing